The Buffalo Sabres will open the season without at least one important defenceman.
Mattias Samuelsson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury after he was hurt blocking a shot in a pre-season game Tuesday, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told reporters Wednesday, per Rachel Lenzi of the Buffalo News.
And fellow defenceman Olen Zellweger is in concussion protocol after he was on the receiving end of a bruising hit from Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Carson Soucy on Tuesday.
Ruff did say he talked to Zellweger in the morning and that "he felt better already.
"That's very encouraging to me, but I don't want to get ahead of myself," Ruff added.
Samuelsson had 13 goals and 41 points in 78 games for Buffalo last season, adding seven points in 13 post-season games for a Sabres team that ended a 14-season playoff drought.
Zellweger was acquired by the Sabres from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a second-round pick ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft after Buffalo dealt Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks.
In 164 NHL games, Zellweger has 16 goals and 51 points, including career highs in assists (15), points (22) and games played (76) last season.
The Sabres open their season Oct. 1 in Columbus.
